Chapter 273: Ascending Mount Wuliang
The more Li Hao thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. Given Elder Feng's character, he wouldn't leave without a word unless something urgent had happened.
"Your Highness, do you know who that Taiping Daoist was?"
Li Hao immediately asked.
"It should be Mo Luo," Jiang Lichen said. "Though I didn't look closely, the overwhelming demonic energy at the time was unmistakable. So your friend is most likely gone."
"Mo Luo?"
Li Hao was stunned.
"You don't know?" Jiang Lichen glanced at him, then realized the young man before him, despite his talents, was only in his teens. How much time could he have spent learning about top-tier experts?
"Eight hundred years ago, Mo Luo emerged, causing chaos everywhere. The Buddhist sect sent experts to suppress him, but he broke through, killing many, and disappeared for over two hundred years. When he reappeared, he was already at the Taiping Daoist level, continuing his chaos..."
Jiang Lichen continued, "Five hundred years ago, the Buddha personally intervened but failed to kill Mo Luo, who escaped after a fierce battle. Though Mo Luo wasn't killed, the world witnessed the Buddha's terrifying power. I don't know if your God General's Mansion has records, but in that battle, the Buddha displayed five layers of Dao domain!"
Jiang Lichen looked at Li Hao, "Slightly weaker than you now, but five hundred years have passed. The Buddha, once a prodigy, has only grown stronger, standing among the top Taiping Daoist experts."
"Three hundred years ago, a Bodhisattva was killed by Mo Luo, leading the Buddha to decree an eternal pursuit to kill Mo Luo."
"Since then, Mo Luo has rarely appeared. Occasionally, there are rumors of his presence, but most are just demons or those who've gone mad using Mo Luo's name to scare people."
"If you want to find Mo Luo, you can't do it alone. Our Dayu Dynasty has been hunting him for years without success. For someone at the Taiping Daoist level, such pursuits are meaningless."
"If you want to find Mo Luo, try asking at Mount Wuliang. They have experience fighting him and have been investigating secretly. But it probably won't be very useful."
Jiang Lichen finished speaking, leaving Li Hao's face pale. Mo Luo? Elder Feng had no ties with Mo Luo. Why would Mo Luo target Elder Feng? Could it be they just happened to meet, leading to a fight?
At that moment, a soldier ran in, saluted Li Hao, and reported:
"General Hao, there's news about the person you wanted to apprehend!"
"What?"
Still reeling from Jiang Lichen's words, Li Hao was stunned, then quickly asked, "Where?!"
"At Mount Wuliang."
The soldier, startled by Li Hao's urgency, quickly said, "Mount Wuliang just announced they've captured the long-time thief Feng Boping and will execute him at noon tomorrow on Mount Wuliang's Ling Shan Peak!"
Li Hao's pupils contracted, feeling a slight buzzing in his head, and then his blood seemed to ignite.
Execute Elder Feng? Wait, Mo Luo, Mount Wuliang? Li Hao looked at Jiang Lichen, "Your Highness, are you sure you didn't see it wrong before?"
Jiang Lichen, now aware Feng Boping was the person Li Hao sought, was also puzzled.
"Strange, could Mo Luo have handed him over to Mount Wuliang? But they're mortal enemies..."
Jiang Lichen murmured, suddenly thinking of something, his expression changing slightly, "So that's it. No wonder he said that..."
"What?"
Li Hao asked, a startling thought forming in his mind.
But thinking of the Candle Fire God and the Yin Lady, it didn't seem too impossible.
Jiang Lichen looked at Li Hao without speaking, but their eyes met, and they seemed to understand each other's thoughts.
Li Hao's face darkened, memories of Elder Feng's casual talk during fishing trips surfacing. Elder Feng had once stolen a sacred item from Mount Wuliang during the Buddha's retreat, using it to suppress the River of the Dead.
This sacred item, with the aura of a saint, suppressed a dangerous section of the river, preventing its spread.
This theft enraged the Buddhist sect, leading to a nationwide hunt for Feng Boping.
But Feng Boping was elusive, never caught by the Buddhist sect.
Yet now, he had been captured.
Li Hao felt a pang of sorrow. Elder Feng, rootless and wandering, had never been caught because he had no ties.
But his frequent interventions from Qingzhou to Liangzhou to Tianmen Pass had exposed his whereabouts, allowing the Buddhist sect to find and capture him.
Once a rootless wanderer, Elder Feng had developed roots because of Li Hao, exposing his weakness.
The once-young Li Hao had been a weak spot for his parents, assassinated by demons. He had grown into the hardest stone. And now, he had become Elder Feng's weakness, leading to his capture.
Li Hao clutched his chest, feeling a slight tearing pain. Elder Feng must have known his exposure, aware of the danger, but still chose to protect Cangya City, honoring their promise.
Such friendship surpassed words.
"Let's go to Mount Wuliang!"
Li Hao said through gritted teeth to the Candle Fire God.
Jiang Lichen, surprised, asked, "You're going to save him? Remember, you're a duke. With your age, two more great achievements could make you a first-class duke, or even a divine duke, enjoying eternal incense offerings. You could aspire to the sage realm. Are you sure you want to risk it for a thief?"
"Reputation and achievements are nothing compared to the joy of drinking with friends."
Li Hao's eyes were cold, looking at the true form of the Candle Fire God and mounting it, "Being despised by millions, what of it? Having a few true friends in life is enough."
Seeing Ren Qianqian take a few anxious steps forward, Li Hao's coldness softened slightly. He whispered, "Wait here and practice well."
Jiang Lichen, hearing Li Hao's words, was taken aback. He had thought the young man, like others he had seen, pursued fame and glory, desiring a lasting name. But he realized this was not the case.
His royal brothers and nephews, scheming and fighting, all sought "name." "Having a few true friends is enough. Well said..."
Jiang Lichen murmured, then laughed, "Kid, I acknowledge you. I'll go with you. The Buddha isn't an easy opponent. If needed, I'll draw my sword with you!"
"Your Highness, being a royal, it's best not to get involved. This is personal."
Li Hao said, signaling the Candle Fire God to depart.
The Candle Fire God immediately took off, soaring into the sky.
Jiang Lichen laughed, "Where I go is my business. Royalty or not, I am who I am. I am the god of swords, Jiang Lichen!"
He too took off, following Li Hao with a mysterious pace, close behind.
In a flash, they were out of Tianmen Pass.
Li Hao glanced back at the closely following Jiang Lichen, surprised he had actually come along. This prince was different, somewhat mad.
"Buddhism is a royal-endorsed power. Won't your involvement affect that?" Li Hao frowned.
Jiang Lichen, accelerating, catching up to the Candle Fire God, laughed, "What effect? The Buddha can take it up with my scheming brother. Let him deal with it. I love causing him trouble!"
Li Hao's eyes narrowed, realizing the prince referred to the Emperor. It seemed the brothers were not on good terms.
Yet the Emperor had sent him to assist…
"You mentioned being freed because of me. Was that in exchange for helping me? Were you in prison?" Li Hao glanced at the shackles on Jiang Lichen's wrists.
Jiang Lichen laughed, "Correct. He promised me that after ensuring your safety, he would endure one strike from my sword. After this, I'll return to the capital and deliver that strike!"
Li Hao was stunned, picturing the kindly old man under the willow tree, feeling a pang of emotion. The Emperor's investment in him was significant.
He took a deep breath, setting aside these thoughts, urging the Candle Fire God to speed up.
Meanwhile, the news of Feng Boping's public execution at Mount Wuliang spread among major powers.
Many who had been robbed by Feng Boping rejoiced at his capture.
Those close to Mount Wuliang quickly set out, hoping to extract the locations of their stolen treasures from Feng Boping before his execution.
This news also reached the God General's Mansion in Qingzhou.
When Li Muxiu heard it, he was stunned, then turned pale.